Cigarette box construction



Dec. 29, 1964 s. M. SILVER 3,

CIGARETTE BOX CONSTRUCTION Filed March 1, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet l "ECELZQEZST'F sf-f1. j

| 34 1 r 4 49 57 i l 32 4 2 l '41 Ta I J: g

I I '/6 l 5- i I l I M- i I i I I l y l l I INVENTOR if? 2 Sfan M. silver Dec. 29, 1964 s. M. SILVER 3,163,349

CIGARETTE BOX CONSTRUCTION Filed March 1, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Sfan M. Silver ATTORNEY avgv. %Q-'- Dec. 29, 1964 v s. M. SILVER 3,163,349

CIGARETTE BOX CONSTRUCTION Filed March 1, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR $+an M. 5I'lv r mggm ATTORNEY Dec. 29, 1964 s. M. SILVER 3,163,349

' CIGARETTE BOX CONSTRUCTION Filed March 1, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 a e 9 f 727.15 INVENTOR Sran M Silver 3,163,349 'Patented Dec. 29, 1964 3,163,349 7 CIGARETTE BOX CONSTRUCTION Stan M. Silver, 25 Central Park W., New York, N.

.Filed Mar. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 262,161 i 6 Claims. (Cl. 229-44) The present invention relates to a novel cigarette box a construction and more particularly to the packaging of small articles as, for example, cigarettes and concerns especially the provision of improved closure features in a portable container therefor derived from two pieces of material, one of which forms the body of the container and the other of which forms the cover.

In-rnany conventional cigarette packages, the container is composed of relatively flexible sheet material such as metal foil, cellophane and paper; this soft type of container presents a considerable likelihood of damage to the contents by crushing, especially when partly empty. On the other hand, existing containers made of paper or cardboards stiff enough to be considered moderately crushproof or hard are difficult to open and close and are unduly expensive to manufacture, ship and store.

Generally,the container of the present invention consists of a body formed of a single piece of materialwhich', when assembled in final form is open at one end portion of thetop thereof. The front and rear panels of the body are cut away adjacent the aforesaid opening, and

side wall extensions project into the box at the cut away portions. A cover is formed of another pieceof material and is provided with swing-like guide members which extend between the aforementioned extensions and the front and'rear panels of the cover. Novel means is provided for sealing the contents of a container beneath the cover and novel means is likewiseprovided for removing such sealing means. The container is of such nature that it has the advantage of economy in the use of material device of the character set forth, a novel. closure forming a part of the invention. v Still another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, novel sealing means therefor.

' A still further object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, novel tear strips for a sealing means, such tear strips and sealing means forming parts of the invention. Y i

Still another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, a novel body forming blank having the distinct advantage of being capable of manufacture with a minimum waste of material.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, novel guide means'for a closure member forming a part of the invention.

'- ,Anbther object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, novel hinge means fora cover forming a part of the invention. a

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a container of the character set forth which is capable of being opened and closed with but one hand.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a body forming blank which is a part of the invention; j

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a closure forming blank likewise forming a part of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the blank illustrated in FIGURE 1 showing the same in partly folded condition;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the blank illustrated in FIGURE 2'showing the same in folded condition; a

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view, partly broken away, illustrating the container of the present invention in fully assembled condition; I

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary persective view similar to FIGURE 5 but illustrating asealing means forming part of the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view'of a sealing device as shown in FIGURE 6; r

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 but showing a modified form the invention may assume;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentaryperspective view of the tear strip utilized therewith;

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 9 but illustrating a further formth'einvention may assume;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view device of FIGURE; 8 illustrating a sealing member and similar to FIGURE 1 but illustrating a modified form of hinge structure constituting an important feature of the invention;

FIGURE 12 is. an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the manner of operation of the closure structure with the hinge construction shown in FIG- URE l1; and,

' FIGURE 13 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the container may be utilized with but one hand to open, dispense and close the same.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown therein a body generally indicated at 10 and a closure generally indi cated at 11. p i

Body 10 is best illustrated in FIGURE 1 and it will'be seen that it'consi'st-s of side panel12, end panel 13, side panel 14, end panel 15 and lap panel 16 successively interconnected by vertical fold lines 17, 18, 19 and 20.

From the lower edges of panels 12, 13, 14 and 15 there depends from fold lines 21, 22, 23 and 24, respectively, bottom flaps 25, 25, 27' and 28, likewise respectively, it being apparent that the outer edge of flap 28 extends inwardly and downwardly, as indicated at 29.

Extending upwardly from the outer. portion of panel 12 along a fold line 39 is a cover flap 31, while extending in like manner from panel ll along a fold line 32 is a cover flap 33. V

Extending upwardly from panel 13 along a fold line 34 is a back reinforcing member 35 to each side of which is connected along fold lines 36 and 37 wing members 38 and 39, respectively.

The upper inner corner portionsofpanels 12 and 14 are respectively supplied with openings 49 and 41' at the upper edges 42 and 43- of which extend horizontally in the same plane with fol'd lines 30 and 32'. The inner sides of openings'dtl and 41 extend vertically, as'indicated at 44 and 45, respectively, slightly inwa'rdly'of verticalfalignmerit with fold lines 17 and- 18,1respectively. The -lower edges of openings 40 and 41, indicated at 46 and 47, re-

spectively, are curvular. The outer extremitiesof openings 40 and'41 term'inatea spaced distance from the inner.

clearly be seen in FIGURES 1 and 3 A hinge member 50 is of substantially inverted keystone shape and is provided in the upper end portion of panel 13. The hinge member 50 is defined at its top by a slit 51 which is coextensive with the fold line 34 and slits 52 at the sides. A slit 53 extends horizontally of the central portion of the base of the member 50 to facilitate bending the member outwardly when the container is assembled.

Referring to FIGURE 2, there is shown therein the closure forming blank 11 which consists of a rectangular top panel 54 having attached thereto along a score line. 55 a forwardly extending tab 56 provided with rounded corners 57 at, its forward edge, Attached to either side of top member 54 along score lines 58 and 59 are side members 68 and 61, respectively.

A rectangular rear wall 62 is attachedto the rear edge of top 54 along a fold line 63 and, to the rear of wall 62 there is attached along a fold line 64, a glue flap 65. At eithersideof wall 62 there is connected by fold lines 66 and 67 glue flaps 68 and 69, respectively, having re spectively formed integrally therewith guide member 70 and 71, likewise respectively. It will be seen that slots 72 and 73 of-substantial width are left between members 60 and 68 and members 61 and 69, respectively.

In assembling the container, it will be seen that flaps 38, 35 and 39v are first bent inwardly and downwardly, with respect to the finished container, along fold line 34 and narrow strips 48 and 49, after which panels 12, 13, 14

I and are bent along fold lines 17, 18 and 19 whereupon glue flap 16 is bent along fold line and adhered to the inner face of panel 12, all as-indicated in FIGURE 3. Thereupon, bottom flaps 26 and 28 are folded to a horizontal position and thereafter flap bent to a horizontal position along fold line 21 and then finally flap 27 is bent along fold line 23 to a horizontal position and glued or otherwise adhered to flap 25.

Closure member 11 maythen be manipulated to its operative condition by first bending inwardly the-members 68-79 and 69-71 whereupon side members 60 and 61 are bent downwardly along fold lines 58 and 59', respectively, and glue tabs 68 and 69 glued or otherwise. adhered to the inner faces of members 60 and 61, respectively. Tab 56 is then bent beneath panel 54 and adhered thereto. The closure member 11 will now be in wrapper (not shown) thereby permitting closure 11 to be bent along fold line 64 which will, at the same time, permit hinge member 50 to bend along those portions adjacent either side of slit 53. 'It will be seen that the closure member may be moved away from the body of the container in this manner to permit access to the contents thereof as indicated, for example, in FIGURE 5. It will also be seen that the guide members will extend between panels 12 and 14 and their adjacent wing members 38 and 39 r I so that closure 11 may be easily opened and closed. Also,

it will be seen that sides and 61 of closure 11 are curved at their outer edges to exactly inter-fit edges 46 and 47, respectively, of openings 40 and 41 so that, when the closure member is in closed position a substantially smooth surface is presented on each of the various faces of thelassembled container.

.As =seen in FIGURE-i'the body 10 of the container may be provided, if desired, with a thin liner 73 of paper 4 are not provided with all-enclosing means such as the paper and foil liners 73 and 74 of FIGURE 5. In this case there is provided a cover of foil or the like which is generally indicated at 75 and which is provided with a rectangular body 76 having Sid tabs 77. and 78 and an end tab 79.,

In this form of the invention, body 76 is laid over the opening remaining in the container when the closure member is in an open condition as shown in FIGURE 6 whereupon tabs 77 and 78 are glued or otherwise adhered to the. outer upper edges of the adjacent wing members 38 and 39 and tab 79 glued or otherwise adhered to the outer upper face of panel 13. To obtain access to the contents of the container in suchccase, it is only necessary to tear body 76 away from the tabs along, their juncture lines therewith. v V

In FIGURE 9, in order to facilitate the removal of cover 75, a tear strip 80 is affixed to body 76 along its inner edge while in the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 10, a tear strip 81 is provided which extends along the entire peripheral portion of body 76.1 I

It will besee'n, in FIGURES 1 and 11, that slits 81 and 82 extend downwardly and outwardly from the inner sides 44 and 45 of the openings 40 and 41 thus forming guides 83 and 84 for confining the guide members 70 and 71 in their proper channels as aforesaid.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURES 11 to 13, inclusive, there is shown a structure identical with that heretofore described in which hinge member 50 is again defined by slit 51 which is'coextensive' with fold line 34 and downwardly and outwardly extending side slits 52 but which, instead of slit 53, is provided with a U-shaped slit 86, the bight portion of which lies in the same plane as the lower ends of side slits 52 and the upper ends of the sides of which terminate at horizontal fold linm 87 which extendto the'adjacent slits 52.

In this form of the invention, it will be seen that closure 11 is affixed to the container identically as heretofore de:

scribed. However, it will beseen that the uvshaped slit 86 now provides a tab 85 which tab 85,Wh811 the con-.-

tainer is closed, will take the position shown in FIGURE 12, that is to say in a position parallel to and between the glue member 65 and the back reinforcing member 35 but inherent in the material will act to return member35 to its normal position when tab 85 has passed its right angularzrelation thereto to thus maintain the closure 11 in opened condition as aforesaid.

It will likewise be seen that the user of the device may open, dispense and close the same by the use of one hand, using his thumb for such p pose as ill s rated in FIG While but certain forms of the invention have been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without dep r ing from th spirit of th in vention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

' 1. In a container comprising a body having side walls, end walls, a bottom wall and a top wall open at one end thereof, the provision of a closure for said open portion of said top wall, said closure being adhered and pivoted to the end wall adjacent said open portion of said top wall, said body comprising a pair of end panels,

pairs of side panels and a gluing strip interconnected by fold lines, bottom flap members connected by fold lines to the lower edges of said side and end panels, partial top flap members connected by fold lines to matching end portions of the upper edges of said side panels, a reinforcing back member connected by a fold line to the upper edge of an end panel remote from said partial top flap members, wing members connected by fold lines to each side of said reinforcing member, said side panels each provided with a cut away portion beneath an ad jacent wing member, a relatively small strip interconnecting the lower outer corner of each wing with'its adjacent side panel, and a hinge member formed in the upper end portion of said end panel immediately below said reinforcing back member, said hinge member being defined by a horizontal slit coextensive with the told I line interconnecting the back member and the adjacent end panel, a pair of downwardly directed slits extending from the ends of said horizontal slit, and a horizontal slit extending horizontally of the central portion of the base of the hinge.

2. A container as defined in claim 1 wherein said U-shaped slit defines a tab, said tab adapted to releasably latch said closure in opened condition.

3. A container as defined in claim 1 wherein said U-shaped slit defines a tab, said tab normally lying between said back member and the body of said closure, said tab acting to distort said back member when said closure is moved to open position, and said back memher acting to latch with said tab when said tab has passed a right angular position with respect thereto whereby to affect the releasable latching of said closure in open condition. r V

4. In a container comprising a body having side walls, end walls, a bottom wall and a top wall open at one end thereof, the provision of a closurefor said open portion of said top wall, said closure being adhered and pivoted to the end wall adjacent said open portion of said top wall, said body comprising a pair of end panels, pairs of side panels and a gluing strip interconnected by the fold lines, bottom flap members connected by fold lines to the lower edges of said side and end panels,

partial top flap members connected by fold lines to matching end portions of the upper edges of said side panels, a reinforcing back member connected by a fold line to the upper edge of an end panel remote from said partial top flap members, wing members connected by fold lines to each side of said reinforcing member, said side panels each provided with a cut away portion beneath an adjacent wing member, a relatively small strip interconnecting the lower outer corner of each wing with its adjacent side panel, and a hinge member formed U-shaped slit extending horizontally of the base portion of the hinge.

'5. In a container comprising a body having side walls, end walls, a bottom wall and a top wall open at one end thereof, the provision of a closure for said open portion of said top wall, said closure being adhered and pivoted to the end wall adjacent said open portion of said top wall, each of said side walls of said body having aflixed thereto, adjacent said open portion a wing member, said closure being provided with a pair of guide members, said guide members each being slidablyreceived between one of said side walls and an adjacent wing member.

. 6 In a container comprising a body having side walls, end walls, a bottom wall and a top Wall open at one end thereof, the provision of a closure for said open portion of said top Wall, said closure being adhered and pivoted to the end wall adjacent said open portion of said top Wall, the side Walls of said body being cut away adjacent said open portion whereby to expose upper portions of said wings, and said closure being provided with side walls each affixed exteriorly of an adjacent guide member, said side walls of, said closure normally abutting the adjacent edges of the cutaway portions of the sidewalls of said body.

Reterencestlited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,915,503 Schmidt June 27, 1933 1,957,777 I Heath May 8, 1934 1,959,829 Jackman May 22, 1934 2,202,280 Wilson May 28, 1940 3,078,029 Lacey Feb. 19, 1963 

1. IN A CONTAINER COMPRISING A BODY HAVING SIDE WALLS, END WALLS, A BOTTOM WALL AND A TOP WALL OPEN AT ONE END THEREOF, THE PROVISION OF A CLOSURE FOR SAID OPEN PORTION OF SAID TOP WALL, SAID CLOSURE BEING ADHERED AND PIVOTED TO THE END WALL ADJACENT SAID OPEN PORTION OF SAID TOP WALL, SAID BODY COMPRISING A PAIR OF END PANELS, PAIRS OF SIDE PANELS AND A GLUING STRIP INTERCONNECTED BY FOLD LINES, BOTTOM FLAP MEMBERS CONNECTED BY FOLD LINES TO THE LOWER EDGES OF SAID SIDE AND END PANELS, PARTIAL TOP FLAP MEMBERS CONNECTED BY FOLD LINES TO MATCHING END PORTIONS OF THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID SIDE PANELS, A REINFORCING BACK MEMBER CONNECTED BY A FOLD LINE TO THE UPPER EDGE OF AN END PANEL REMOTE FROM SAID PARTIAL TOP FLAP MEMBERS, WING MEMBERS CONNECTED BY FOLD LINES TO EACH SIDE OF SAID REINFORCING MEMBER, SAID SIDE PANELS EACH PROVIDED WITH A CUT AWAY PORTION BENEATH AN ADJACENT WING MEMBER, A RELATIVELY SMALL STRIP INTERCONNECTING THE LOWER OUTER CORNER OF EACH WING WITH ITS ADJACENT SIDE PANEL, AND A HINGE MEMBER FORMED IN THE UPPER END PORTION OF SAID END PANEL IMMEDIATELY BELOW SAID REINFORCING BACK MEMBER, SAID HINGE MEMBER BEING DEFINED BY A HORIZONTAL SLIT COEXTENSIVE WITH THE FOLD LINE INTERCONNECTING THE BACK MEMBER AND THE ADJACENT END PANEL, A PAIR OF DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED SLITS EXTENDING FROM THE ENDS OF SAID HORIZONTAL SLIT, AND A HORIZONTAL SLIT EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY OF THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE BASE OF THE HINGE. 